CHAPTER TWELVE:
❝Talent Show❞︎

A FEW DAYS PASSED, JOSIE AND HER SISTER HAD LEFT TO GO AND SEE THEIR MOM, AND NOW THEY WERE BACK EARLIER THAN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE. Harper had the chance to make up with the female right before she had left and now that she was back, she couldn't help but be excited to rekindle their friendship. She sat in her room, oblivious to the fact that Lizzie was currently creating a completely different world in which Hope didn't exist. And if it hadn't been for Hope, then Harper probably would've never come. So along with Hope being the rebel in Lizzie's world, Harper had as well.

It all seemed like a fever dream, like the girl had actually experienced it, like she had actually been there. And she was convinced that she actually had been. And she laid on her bed, her eyes closed as she experienced the world Lizzie had created until the blonde finally managed to turn everything back to normal and moments later she came bursting into Harper's room.

     "Lizzie?" Harper gently questioned, standing up as she looked at the blonde with a small frown. She let out a gasp when Lizzie threw her arms around the girl. Lizzie held onto her tightly.

     "Never change, Harper." Lizzie told the girl before pulling away and offering her a small smile before leaving the room. Harper stood there with her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth opened slightly.

     "What was that about?" Hope questioned, walking into the door way. Harper opened and closed her mouth before shrugging her shoulders.

     "I'm uh, not really sure?" Harper frowned. She turned towards Hope. "Did you need help with something?"

     "Yeah, I was going to put a barrier around the urn. Did you want to help?"

     "Yeah." Harper nodded with a small smile before walking out of her room with Hope, wondering what it was that Lizzie had been going on about. After putting up the barrier and Harper and Hope setting up a trap, they went to bed. Apparently the trap had went off in the middle of the night with Alaric, Hope and Dorian going to check it out only to find a harmless unicorn.

Harper walked through the shelves, her fingers running along the spines of the many books inside of the library. She already held one tightly to her chest as her eyes quickly scanned over the titles of the books. Just as she reached for one, she paused at the sound of Dr. Saltzman's voice coming over the intercom.

     "If I could have your attention. Last night we were able to capture a monster here on the grounds. We have everything under control. But given this potential danger, it is with a heavy heart that I must postpone the talent show. Hopefully, we'll be able to reschedule this. . . unique event. . . at a later date. A much, much later date."

     Harper smiled before pulling the book from the shelf and walking out of the library and down the hall where she ran into Hope, Landon, and Rafael. She offered the group a small smile. "Hey guys."

     "Harper, you look amazing." Hope suddenly beamed.

     "You're in a good mood." Harper chuckled, glancing towards the two boys who shrugged their shoulders. "You look amazing too, Hope."

     "Thank you." Hope smiled. Harper looked up towards the ceiling when the intercom came on a few minutes later with Lizzie announcing that the talent show was back on. Harper sighed. She hated talent shows. She did one in third grade once and embarrassed herself to the point that she despised the event.

     "So, Lizzie's acting weird." Harper could hear Landon say to Rafael.

     "She's not the only one." Rafael scoffed, pointing at Hope.

     "Babe." Hope suddenly said, turning to look at Landon. "We should do a talent." Harper's eyes widened in surprise at this.

     "What?" Landon quickly asked. "Uh, you and me?"

     "I never wanted to before 'cause I would have had to do it alone seeing as Harper hates talent shows. But now I have you. And we make up our own faction. The tribrid and you." Harper moved to stand beside of Rafael as Hope wrapped her arms around Landon's neck.

     "Yeah, alright, yeah. Team other." Hope chuckled at this before the two exchanged a kiss.

     "You wanna. . ." Harper whispered and Rafael immediately nodded his head before the two quickly walked away.

Harper made her way outside, deciding that she wanted to see this unicorn herself, only to find Dorian standing in front of the creature and talking to it. Harper stood there, cocking her head slightly as she pursed her lips. She had to admit the unicorn was beautiful, the most beautiful creature Harper had ever seen. But her focus seemed to move back towards Dorian.

     "Dorian." Harper called, making the man jump as he spun to look at her. "Are you interrogating the unicorn?"

     "No. . ." Dorian tried and Harper only chuckled. "Tell no one."

     "Yessir." Harper gave him a small salute before laughing and turning on her heel and going deeper into the woods. Harper suddenly jumped, placing a hand on her ear as if something had been crawling there a moment prior. She suddenly stood up, looking at her book before burning it. "God, that book was boring."

     "Harper?" Harper turned her head to see Landon, Dorian, and Hope all standing there. She offered them a smile.

     "Tribrid." Harper nodded. "How kind of you to notice me today."

     "Damnit." Hope whispered. "It's got Harper too."

     "Sorry about your book." Harper mocked. "It just wasn't good enough for me."

     "You could read the dictionary and you'd be happy." Dorian looked at the girl with raised eyebrows.

     "Whatever. Listen, I have a talent show to go watch." Harper smiled. "Toodles." She waved at the group before shoving past Hope and Landon and heading inside.

     "I think I've been permanently scarred." Landon mumbled. "Harper and being not overly kind is the most concerning thing I've seen in my entire life."

Harper stood in the crowd, watching as the vampires preformed their song and dance. Harper found herself smiling as she clapped. Harper sat on the top of the steps, waiting patiently for the next performance. Next, it was Rafael with spoken word poetry. Harper didn't feel the presence of Landon and Hope standing behind her, and they were watching the girl with furrowed eyebrows as she checked her nails like she was bored.

     "Stillness." Rafael started. "A light breaks inside. Unity. And division. Tension. All these wolves staring at me,  waiting for the answer. Expectation is a cancer. Oh, you can't, sir? Then who will?" Rafael looked up and met Hope and Landon's eyes before continuing. "Two brother brought up together. There's one left behind because he's no longer needed. Violence inside of me. Inside, I'm, I'm bleeding. And I can't believe what I'm feeling, since the moment you danced with me. Buried so deep, rising up, enchanting me. And it won't go away. And I was never jealous of anything that you had until today. And why is that artifact here? Monsters coming, people running. Ask for answers, always nothing."

     That's when everyone started to stand up. Rafael's eyes glowed green as he pointed towards Hope and Landon. "I say we get rid of it." Everyone turned towards the two, and Hope met Harper's glowing green eyes and an evil smirk fell on Harper's face, one that shook Hope to her core.

     "Run." Harper whispered before going after them with the rest of the students following after her. They chased Hope and Landon and Hope was quick to turn and shout a spell that caused for the doors to slam close and not open. They tried to break in, trying and trying until suddenly everyone was screaming and wincing in pain as electricity hit all of them and purple slugs fell from their ears. Harper's eyes widened before she quickly killed the creature.

     When she was allowed out, Harper ran up to Hope. "Why the fuck was there a purple slug in my ear. And did I really burn that book? Because it was a really good book."

     "You just said a word I never thought would leave your innocent mouth." Lizzie looked at the girl with surprise as she and Josie joined Hope and Landon's side.

     "I hate this school so much." Harper whined and Hope could only smile before the two friends quickly hugged one another.

     "Never turn mean. You weren't all that mean, but it was still the most scariest thing I've witnessed." Hope mumbled before pulling away and Landon nodded his head in agreement. Harper let out a breathy chuckle.

     "I've got to take a shower before we go back to out 'pick-me-up talent show' that I really don't want to watch, but for once I agree with Dr. Saltzman. I feel like creatures are crawling all over me. See you there." She was quick to walk away before doing as she said before making her way towards the steps and quietly sitting down as she watched the continuation of the talent show. 

When Josie came on stage, Harper's heart seemed to skip a beat. The girl was absolutely beautiful, standing alone on that stage in front of the microphone nervously until she opened her mouth and started singing. Her voice was absolutely beautiful, and Harper couldn't believe she had never heard the girl sing before. Harper whistled, clapping as a wide smile fell on her face. Josie's eyes seemed to find Harper's, and she continued to sing, her eyes lingering on Harper for a few moments before looking at the rest of the crowd. When the girl finished everyone stood up whistling, clapping, and cheering for the girl.

     "Good job, Jo." Harper softly whispered. She met Josie's eyes one last time before turning on her heel and walking up the rest of the stairs before leaving and heading back towards her room. She sat there in her room, a book in her hands before a knock came to her door. She looked up and smiled when she saw who it was.

     "Well, if it isn't the super star." Harper closed her book as Josie entered the room. "What do I owe the honor?" Josie chuckled as she closed the door before sitting down on the bed beside of Harper. She leaned against the headboard and Harper turned her head to look at the brunette. She couldn't take her eyes off of the girl, taking a moment to look at the girl's features. "You have a beautiful voice, Jo."

     Josie turned her head to look at Harper. "Thanks."

     "You should sing more often. If not for the school than for me." Harper requested.

     "We'll see." Josie looked at the girl for a moment before leaning her head onto Harper's shoulder. Harper placed her head on top of Josie's as Josie grabbed her hand, interlacing their fingers. "Lizzie's going to be releasing her true inner bitch in the morning, so just prepare yourself for that."

     Harper chuckled. "Oh, I don't think I could ever prepare myself for Lizzie's true inner bitch." Josie laughed at this. For a little while longer the two stayed like that, taking a moment to breathe after everything that happened that day.